1. Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor light emitting devices.
2. Description of Related Art
There have been known light emitting devices that include a light emitting element mounted on a mounting substrate, and a plate-shaped light transmissive member in which a phosphor is dispersed is disposed on an upper surface of the light emitting element (for example, JP 2012-4303 A and JP 2010-192629 A). In such light emitting devices, for example, a combination of a blue light emitting element as the light emitting element and a yellow phosphor which can wavelength-convert a blue light to a yellow light as the phosphor in the light transmissive member may be used. A part of the blue light from the light emitting element is converted into a yellow light by the phosphor, while the rest of the blue light is allowed to pass through the light transmissive member unchanged; thus obtaining a white light which is a mixture of the yellow light and the blue light. As described above, a light emitting device to emit an intended color of light, for example a white light, can be obtained by combining a light emitting element to emit an intended color of light and one or more appropriate types of phosphors.
In the light emitting devices described in JP 2012-4303 A and JP 2010-192629 A, the light transmissive members have larger area than that of the light emitting elements when viewed from the light emitting surfaces (upper surfaces of the light emitting devices). The light incident in the light transmissive member from the light emitting element travels in the light transmissive member and is emitted from the whole upper surface of the light transmissive member. Therefore, when viewed from the light emitting surface, the light emitting area of the light emitting element appears practically enlarged.
However, in the light emitting devices such as described in JP 2012-4303 A and JP 2010-192629 A, the light transmissive members do not have sufficient brightness at the edge portions compared with the central portions which are directly above the respective light emitting elements. Thus, satisfactory expansion in such a practically enlarged appearance of the light emitting areas may not be attained.